English 'right on track' for Chargers return
Story by Michael Gehlken
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Chargers outside linebacker Larry English reflected Tuesday on his football career thus far.
He's had four sacks in one game.
He's had five sacks in one game.
He's forced turnovers that turned into touchdowns, among many other game-changing plays.
“Unfortunately,” English said, “most of them were in college.”
The road to recovery has proven long for English, who's missed 19 games the past two seasons and had two surgeries to his left foot, the most recent of which came in the spring of 2011.
English, a former first-round draft pick, is entering the fourth year of his career, and it began this week on a promising note. The 26-year-old has been on the field, working out with teammates at the start of the voluntary offseason program.
“My body feels the best it's felt in a long time,” English said. “My mind does, too. I'm real confident about the preparation and all the stuff I'm doing right now and also the rehab. The way it's all gone, it's right on track. I'm real excited about the opportunity I'm going to have.”
Last year, English tried to come back from the foot ailment but couldn't.
This time, time is on his side.
At this stage in 2011, the linebacker couldn't train his body. He was too focused on its recovery from a March surgery.
Not until right before the July start of training camp was he cleared for a return to the field, and by that point, he didn't have enough time to get his body right before the season.
Never at peak physical form, his body didn't last.
In Week 5, he broke his foot again against the Broncos.
“It was the same thing,” English said. “Kind of just planted on it and made the same type of movement like I did before. It couldn't withstand that weight and that pressure.”
The Chargers begin their season on Sept. 10, or 138 more days.
That's not tomorrow. That's not next week. There's no rush.
He can work up his strength, day by day, and return to the field when at his best, which should be well in time for training camp.
“He's looking great right now,” safety Eric Weddle said.
English said he's not dwelling on the past.
He wants to “put 100 percent effort forward.”
He wants to have no regrets about the time and work he invested in establishing himself as a productive NFL player.
And, of course, he wants results.
“I want to be a player that plays hard every snap, that is reliable, that opposite teams have to game plan for just because you know I'm going to bring it every snap,” English said. “That's what I want to be.”
A game-changer, again.
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English 'right on track' for Chargers return
